05 Must do things in Habarana

Habarana is a small town located close to some of the country's most popular tourist attractions. It usually serves as a base for accessing these key locations.

1

Sigiriya

The Lion's Rock is one of Sri Lanka's most favourite and popular tourist destinations. Sigiriya Rock was once known to be home to King Kasyapa, who built his kingdom around the area covering the rock, and his royal fortress at its summit. Offering a magnificent view of its surroundings, while allowing its visitors to be fully immersed in its rich and exciting history, the Sigiriya rock is a great destination when you visit Sri Lanka. Resort options around the area are plentiful, however if you're planning to stay at a property in Habarana, such as Habarana Village by Cinnamon, accessing the other popular attractions is much easier! Some of the key things you'll come across are the Lion's Paws, the Mirror Wall, the Frescoes, Royal Gardens and much more!

2

Village life

When in Rome... or rather, when in Sri Lanka, experience local village life while on your trip to the island. Visitors who want to immerse themselves in Sri Lanka's way of life, can choose to do so with the help of many tours that are available. They will be taken through the rich vegetation of farmer land, including a visit to a paddy field, a lesson on traditional cooking methods – while also indulging in a delicious lunch with some locals. Visitors will also be taken on a bullock cart ride or a canoe ride through one of Sri Lanka's rich waterways. While in Habarana, this is a great way to spend your day, getting in touch with the locals do, from their daily activities to their daily meals.

3

Kaudulla National Park

The Kaudulla National park was marked as a national park in 2002 and was designed as a safe zone for elephants and many migratory and endemic birds. Go on a wildlife trip to Kaudulla National Park, where you'll be able to spot herds of elephants between the months of August to December. The park covers an area of 6,900 hectares. Besides being home to elephants, the national park is also home to 23 other mammals which includes Sambar deer, Wild boar, sloth bear, leopard, Sri Lanka Axis deer and many more. With a lake nearby, tourists are also given the chance to kayak through its waters, whilst observing the birds and the lush mangroves that outline the lake.

4

Ritigala

Ritigala is an old Buddhist monastery and mountain. Ritigala Mountain reaches a towering height of 766 metres and is covered by thick jungles; home to wild elephants, bears and leopards. In order to maintain its lush natural environment, the mountain has been declared a Strict Natural Reserve. The ruins of the monastery are known to date back to 1st century BCE and cover an area of 24 hectares. The Pansakulikas monks who had lived here had not built any stupas, or image houses or temples. Visitors will be able to see many ruins that were left behind from the monastery though such as the Paved Paths and some remains of buildings.

5

Habarana Safari

If you can't get enough of Sri Lanka's wildlife, located close to Habarana, is the Minneriya National Park which serves as a great way to spend your day on the island. Minneriya is famous for spotting herds of elephants amongst other animals. Don't forget to hire a tracker who will be able to help you find these wild beasts!